Th.8.20.15...It's Vital For Explorers...John 5:1-15

Light. It's vital for explorers. "Thy word is a... light to my path" Ps.119:105. We would be lost without God's light. The close-minded man ignores God's word so "the fool walks in the darkness" Eccles.2:14. A fool could become enlightened if he would just start asking questions instead of trying to be such a know it all. Questions can be like a torch that shines light on things. Great explorers of Scripture (Bible scholars) spend a lot of time asking questions of the passage before them. You can think you know a passage well until you start asking questions. First, you'll  discover how much you don't know, then you'll want to discover the answers to your questions. That is when the light of understanding comes on. That's how you become bright- by asking questions and discovering their answers.

1.- So my bright Bible explorers, take today's passage, John 5:1-15, and list questions that come to your mind as you read through it. The more the better.

Faith healers put guilt on unhealed people saying that they didn't have enough faith to receive when they were prayed for. Interestingly, this crippled man was not healed because of his faith in Jesus. He didn't even know who Jesus was (5:13). This miracle was not recorded to give hope to people with disabilities that Jesus will heal them. Jesus left all the other crippled people there by the pool. Remember why John recorded the seven miracles he selected-"These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" 20:31.

Jesus also didn't heal him because he was such a good man. There was some ongoing sin in his life that was so irksome that Jesus even commanded him,"Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you" 5:14. That sin didn't cause him to be an invalid; he evidently got engrossed in it after becoming an invalid. Jesus leaves the sin unnamed, perhaps so the command will speak to all people. What could be worse than being an invalid? He leaves that also for us to imagine. If the man didn't take seriously who Jesus was, and repent and believe in him, then something far worse would happen to him. Jesus is quite direct, telling the man to stop sinning. Some people believe they need to go through extensive counseling before they could ever stop their repeated sins. The past may explain propensities to certain sins, but it doesn't excuse it. Ultimately they just need to stop it. Having had a biblical counseling practice, I got a chuckle out of this Bob Newhart spoof on counseling. There is truth in jest. 

Over the past 400 years since the OT ended, the Pharisees ("Separate ones") emerged. They created their own laws on top of the 613 laws of Moses. They may have had good intentions originally, but their laws became terribly burdensome. some of their man-made laws became known as fence laws. Like a fence, their purpose was to keep a person from ever getting close to breaking one of God's own laws. They also made laws to supposedly clarify God's laws. For example, they knew the OT said a person was not to work on the Sabbath, so they took it upon themselves to create all kinds of laws defining "work." These oral laws were later written down in about 200AD in a boring book, called the Mishnah. Yes, I've read some of it. A seminary prof assigned us to read a portion of it just so we could get a feel for how tedious it was. For example, if a woman was throwing water out the window at the time Sabbath began (Friday at sunset) they declared it work for her to bring her hands back inside. What?! The poor people that had to live under such burdensome laws! It must have been music to their ears to hear Jesus give his gracious invitation, "Come to me all you are weary and burdened and I will give you rest" Mt.11:28. He is the Lord of the Sabbath who gives the ultimate Sabbath rest through faith in him, not works.

2.- In Eccles. 4:9-10 we read, "Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help  him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up." The invalid in our story today regretted that he had no one to help him up and into the water. Aren't you glad that you are not left alone. You have friends to help you. Together you and your fire team friends can have a good return for your work of maturing and multiplying men. It's vital that we strengthen the bonds between us. So instead of sharing on the blog about a time you were an invalid, very sick or with a broken limb, share that with you fire team members. I will ask you tomorrow if'n ya' did so.

What do optical illusions have to do with our blog tomorrow? Come and see :)

Talk about optical illusions; Louie wrote, "On Monday, I arrived at the job site and started talking with the electrician who I thought was the lead man. Turns out it was not him, but his brother. These two looked like twins. I gave both brothers each a mini movie card and a New Life card and invited both of them to church." Way to go Louie!

Announcements
I am delighted to introduce a good friend of mine for many years who is joining M3 today. I met him the summer I came to New Life in 1988. He was so devoted to serving God and God's people that Pastor Mark invited him on the pastoral staff. Yes, it's Pastor Mike Berry! Mike is one of the most positive and encouraging people I know. Among other things, Mike has a great heart for God and His word, learning, evangelism and discipleship. He is a great M3 kind of man! Mike will be pioneering a new squad, so pray for him as he reaches out to recruit new men. Welcome Pastor Mike! 

We are glad Eddie is back from leading the mission trip to Queretaro. He is also helping to lead the Convoy of Hope outreach this Saturday. Here's the news regarding it: VOLUNTEER RALLY – This Thursday, August 20th at 7 pm @ New Life Church, Midway. All volunteers are asked to attend, but in case some cannot make it, we will be registering people on Saturday morning at Marquette Park.  Get your Waiver Form completed and get a Tee shirt that is to be worn on the Day of Hope. All volunteers are asked to arrive at 7:30 am at Marquette Park on Saturday August 22nd.  There will be free parking at Holy Cross Hospital on California Avenue and also around the park. Thanks Eddie! What a great opportunity to do Acts of Kindness.